What Can Google, LinkedIn and Twitter Teach You About Onboarding?

Onboarding is a critical, but often overlooked, part of the hiring process. When employees are introduced to the company properly, they are better prepared to thrive in their roles and the environment. However, when onboarding is neglected, even the most skillful new hire may not be completely comfortable or left with unanswered questions, making it harder for them to reach full productivity quickly.

By examining the best practices of leading companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter, you can learn from their onboarding successes. Here’s what you need to know.

Google’s Team-Centric Approach

Most companies who hold onboarding sessions bring all of the new hires together, regardless of their department or role. Everyone is shuttled through the same process, receiving handouts and paperwork along with general overviews about the company. While this option may give them decent starting information, it isn’t personalized. As a result, many are subject to details they don’t need and do not get the specialized attention that can help them thrive.

Google handles things differently. Instead of large events, onboarding is managed at the team level. This allows each group to address things a bit uniquely, ensuring that the nuances of the department are covered along with information that benefits everyone. Additionally, it can make the new hire feel more like a cohesive part of the team.

LinkedIn’s You-Focused Approach

LinkedIn also has a fairly unique view of onboarding. Instead of generic information, they provide details that allow every new hire to understand what their first 90 days on the job will look like as well as the benefits and programs that are available to them specifically.

This includes a practical roadmap that outlines how their next 12 weeks will go when the person starts at LinkedIn, including everything they need to successfully execute the plan. This creates an ownership mindset in the employee, while ensuring they know exactly what benefits and perks are offered and how to take advantage of them.

Twitter’s Yes-to-Desk Approach

One of the more carefully outlined options, Twitter’s onboarding process includes 75 separate touch points that flow between the new hire and the HR team as well as the hiring manager. The goal is to make this initial experience exceptional and thorough, allowing them to move seamlessly from the moment they accept the role to day one on the job and beyond.

This means they actually begin the onboarding process much earlier than many other companies. New hires are often motivated by the excitement of starting a role the moment they accept the job, and Twitter capitalizes on that by harnessing the energy and keeping it high from this point forward.

Plus, it ensures that critical items and resources are arranged well before the new hire starts. Everything from their equipment and tools to systems access to handled in accordance with the detailed plan, ensuring no detail falls through the cracks.

Need Help With Your Onboarding Process? Contact The Armada Group!

By embracing some of the ideas of leading companies, you can create an onboarding process that is more engaging and effective. If you want to know more, the team at The Armada Group can help. Contact us with your questions today and see how our onboarding program expertise can benefit you.